The Price
by Delgodess
Summary: Hans scoffed, lifting his chains. "What could you possibly have to offer me?" Her answer, when it came, could not have surprised him more. "My Wealth, my Kingdom," She paused, her blue eyes piercing his. "… My Power." Her hands clasped behind her as she stood tall, regal; imposing. A cold beauty in the morning light. "Marry me, and all this will be yours."


**Disclaimer: I do not own** _Frozen_ **.**

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 **One** : _Don't_

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"Elsa, please don't do this."

The Queen's bodice shown in the pre-morning light, the shimmering fabric of her gown trailing quickly over the salt-encrusted boards of the dock beneath her. The sea, briny and sweet, reached up with misted fingers, beckoning with equal parts foreboding and wonder. Black boots cut harshly through them, stamping on the creaking wood as if to stamp out any thought of departure. Blue and violet whirled in furious arcs as the Princess hurried after, fiery hair framing pinched, worried features.

The Queen nodded to the bowing Captain as she past, not sparing her follower a glance.

"Go back to the Palace, Anna."

The girl persisted, skirting around men moving boxes, ignoring the shouts of the ships' crew as they began to make ready.

"He _lied_." She spat, as if that would make a difference.

Her elder sister hardly paused, moving up the ramp and onto the deck of the ship; aptly named _Her Lady's Revenge_. "We've already discussed this."

The red-head scrambled forward, voice rising as she insisted her point. "You don't owe him anything!"

The addressed looked up sharply, snowy hair catching the light as she finally turned to her sister. " _Yes_ , I _do_."

"Elsa-!" She cried, only to be cut off by the snap of her sisters' voice.

"No, Anna!"

The volume of the Queen's reply never wavered, though that did little to hide the intensity of her next words. They bit and burned like the ice she was known for, hard and harsh with quiet fury.

"He did, in six months, what I could not do in the entirety my life." Her pale hands, twisting in the fabric of her dress, swung upwards in a rare display of passion, gesturing. "While I was up there, on some God-Forsaken mountain, throwing a-" She swallowed, beautiful features shifting in a faint grimace, as if she tasted something bitter. "- _a tantrum_ like a _child_ , he kept our Kingdom- _my_ Kingdom- _alive_."

"And then stabbed us all in the back." The Princess quipped in reply, just as bitter.

"Anna! _Try_ to understand."

Anna's features softened, reaching to hold her sisters' hands in her own, gaze imploring.

"The people _love_ you, Elsa."

Elsa sighed, perfect posture falling into a slight slump as she let the exhaustion from days, if not weeks, of sleepless nights show on her face. Then, quietly, so as not to be heard by any except her beloved little sister, she whispered the dreaded words.

"Is it love? Or fear?"

Anna couldn't help the tiny gasp that escaped her, the breathless quality of her response. "You don't mean that."

There was a pause in which neither sister said anything, both eyes clouded, as if lost in their own thoughts. Then Elsa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, determination and softness shown in equal measure and she gently released her sisters' hands.

"I _know_ what he did. And know it was wrong. But that doesn't change anything."

Anna's lips pouted, stubborn gleam lingering in her eyes. "I just don't want you to throw your life away."

Elsa quirked a small smile. "I know."

Anna hesitated, then carefully. "Elsa… he _hurt_ me."

The smile left, replaced by an unbecoming frown. "I know."

"What if he hurts you? What if he lies, again?" Anna was in earnest, brushing a few windblown locks from her anxious face, before clasping her hands before her, as if to beg. Elsa's gaze caught on a single, snow-white strand, out of place on her sister's head. Her blue eyes hardened.

"He won't. He'll have no choice."

"But-"

"Anna. We _need_ this."

Desperation tinged Anna's voice despite herself, looking for an alternative, for any kind of solution, though days of similar arguments had proved there to be no such thing. "What about someone else? _Anyone_ else?"

Elsa sighed in exasperation, slowly repeating the unfortunate truth. "We're not in any position to ask."

Anna looked up at her sister and tried one last time. "Please… don't do this."

Then Elsa was smiling, haunted tiredness vanishing from her features like snow at the first hint of spring. She stepped forward, pulling her little sister into a tight hug. "Everything will be fine, Anna. I'll be home before you know it."

Anna held on just as tightly, eyes blinking back moisture. "You're set on this, aren't you?"

She felt the nod against her shoulder, the determined air surrounding her older sister, her only family, her Queen.

"Yes."

So when Anna pulled back, she made sure she was smiling, if not happily, than at least with tentative acceptance.

"Alright. Be safe. And Elsa?"

The Princess's smile turned into a wicked grin, green eyes twinkling with mischief.

"No one will know if you throw him overboard."

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 **AN: So... yet another story idea. I have tons of them already, but when I get the itch, I might as well share, right? Any who, what do you think?  
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 **Please Review!**

 **~Delgodess**


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